Wheel structure



` Oct. 9, 1945. Q A, LYON l 2,386,239

WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed Julyv 31, 1943 Patented Oct. 9, 1945 UNITED STATE S PATENT O FF lJC EI 1 WHEEL STRUCTURE .George Albert Lyon, Allenhurst, N. J.

Application July 31, 1943, SerialfNo. 496,891

4 Claims.

This invention is directed to an improved wheel structure and relates more particularly to an improved c'over assembly therefor.`

It is an important object of,A the invention tov provide for a'wheelv structure and a cover assembly therefor improved retaining means for maintaining the cover over the outer side ofthe wheel.

Still another object of the` invention is to provide for a wheel structure an improved` cover assembly whichv is maintained thereon by virtue of retaining engagement off the radially outer peripheral part thereofwith a part ofthe wheel'.

It is still another object ofthe invention to provide for a. wheel structure of the type having a drop center, tire rim and a central load4 bearing portion, a cover assembly including a radially outer annular portion securable to the Ywheel structure by virtue ofengagement of the radially outer. marginal part thereof with the adjacen edge portion ofthe tire rim.

Still another object of the invention is toA provide for a wheel structure having a tire rim, an annular cover member for disposition over the outer. side ofthe tire rim, said cover including improvedv means for maintaining they cover over the tire rim` and improved means for reinforcing, rigidifying and ornamenting the peripheral edges thereof.

In accordance with the general features of the invention there ist providedV herein an annular cover member for disposition over the outer side of a: wheel structure and particularly over the outer-side of a drop center type tire rim therein, the outer edge of the cover being arranged for retaining engagement with the edge portion of the tire rim and'being further provided with annular reinforcing means arranged for attachment to the peripheral edges thereof for rigidifying the cover and further for maintaining the same upon the wheel structure.

It isa furtherl objectof. the invention to provide for a wheel structure a cover assembly including an outer annular, portion which may be constructed from synthetic plastic sheet material or the like and; having physical characteristics enabling it to be form retaining and self-sustaining and yet tobe temporarily deectable, said cover having such resilience that when the de- A flecting pressures are removed therefrom it will vided with radially inwardly turned edge portionsk ank improvedrcover assembly including an outerv annular part vformed from resiliently flexible, retaining, self-supporting materiall such as vsheet synthetic plas-tic or the like, Vsaid cover member being arraneedior retention upon the wheel structure byV interlocking engagement between tlle edge portion or the tire rim andthe outer peripheral' margin thereof and, being held in position, by virtue of inherent flexing action of the cover Which enables the same to be retained upon thewheelv structure in llexed condition.

In accordance with the general vfeatures of the invention `there is providedherein for a wheel structure having a tire rim' provided with radially inwardly turned edge portions, a cover assembly including an outer` annular portion formedV from resiliently flexible, form retaining, self-supporting material such as sheet `Synthetic plastic or tllevllikei said,v cover normally describing, at its radially outer part, a circle having greater dimensions, than that described by the radially inwardly turned` lip of the edge portion of the tire ri,mwhereby the cover member may be iiexed axially inwardly to reduce the size of the circle descrilled` by theouter edge thereof, whereby said edge may bev snapped into engagement behind the lip of the edge portion so that when released from the insertion pressure it tends to expand arldll'ock itself ,on Ithewheel structure, there being provided at the radially. inner., margin ofthe cover member a bordering, rigidifying metallic annulus.

In accordancev withgstill another embodiment of` the invention there is provided herein an annular coverv member of Ithe foregoing character which is kprovided in the vicinity of the radially outer edge thereofwith an axially outward p rotuberance with which is arranged to be interlocked, an yannular bead member having a portion extending radially outwardly beyond the radially outer edge of the cover member and over the edge portion ofthe tire rim thus to conceal the junction between Ithe tire rim and the cover Ymember and to further enhance the anchorage of the cover member upon the wheel structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following descriptionand accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevational Viewv of a wheel structure'embodying one form of my invention;

Figure-Zisa fragmentary radial cross-sectional viewV ofa wheel structure embodying the form vide for a wheel structure having a tire rimproofl my invention shown` in Figure 1: and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary radial cross-sectional view of a wheel structure embodying a modified form of my invention.

It is to be understood that the embodiments shown herein are for illustrative purposes only and may be changed or modied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As best shown in Figure 2 the wheel structure 'with whichnrnypresent invention isassociated includesv a;tire 'rim IIJ having- 'a base; flange `II to which is' secured "a central load' bearing' portion l2 by means of an axially inwardly extending flange I2a of the central load bearing por-NIL* tion, these parts being secured togetherby weide;

ing or riveting or the like.

The central load bearing portion'I-Zfisfuther f 2,386,239 i f i CII tend to flex radially outwardly and thus provide a secure binding engagement between the edge thereof and the axially inner surface of the lip 16a of the tire rim.

Preferably the cover member 2I is formed from thin sheet synthetic plastic material so as to have physical characteristics enabling it to be form retaining and self-supporting and yet readily, temporarily deflectable for the purposes of maintaining it upon the wheel ,in .hemenner described above. "Furthermbre, it nes', been found that a cover member s`o 'constructed greatly reduces the unsprung of the vehicle to which it is provided with a bolt-on ange I3 V.whiclgrmayjoe;V l

' 2:'I' and a central circularhub ca'p'simulating po'rtion '22'.'fTo`the 'end that the hub cap portionj22 may be securelyretained in detachable eng'a'genient upon'thewheel structure, `the' central load bearing" portionL I2'is provided on theV outer surface thereof with' a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberance`s23 behind which a resilient snap-'onbead 24 of'a resilientsnap-on flange 25 4of the cover member 272 is 'adapted tofengage'. In

applying the cover member 22 to'the'wheel struc.

circular coniiguration and is retained securely the'positionjshown in FigureZr y l The cover` member 2l is provided with a suit'- ablel'ap'erture 2 Ia.' through which'the valve stem I9 may'protrude `to be accessible for ination of i the tire. This' cover member 2 I, as will be seen, is annular in' configuration and is axiallyV outwardl'y concave'wh'en 'applied to the wheel structure. 4WhenV detached from thewheel the annular coverl 2ly is of such a size that the radially outer edge thereof describes a circlelarger than that described bythe radially inner surface of the edge portion I6 immediately inwardly of the radially inwardly turnedAV lip portion IBa thereof.

In applying the annular cover member 2I to the wheel structure it is merely necessary Vfor the operator to placethe same in concentric relationship against the outer side of the tire rim I0 and then to force thesame inwardly,whereupon it will flex into aposition substantially shownA in Figure 2, wherebythe `outer circumferential edge thereof will pass axially inwardly beyond the lip 16a of the edge portion -I6r1so that uponl release attached and lends itself admirably to the ornamentation of the vehicle due to the wide variety of ,hues and colors in which it may be formed.

Whenv the'cover member 2I is disposed in its ultimate position as shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that an intermediate part thereof may, due

to the initial radial expanse of the cover, be dis' posed .in abutting relationship with the4 portion 'of'lthe' outer 'surface 'ofthe' tire ri'm. which c'onstitutes the ju'nction'between th'eadjacent inter- V mediate flange I5 andthe adjacent edg'eA portion IV6.",'Thuls, the'intermediate' 'part of the cover member {'is supported' when v,tlfie coveris inserted within 'the tire rim." ,y l

' To Athe end' that 'the' 'appearance of"the"cover may be further enhanced and to rigidify a'nd reinforce thera'diallyinner margin thereof,` there provided an annulu's'ZS preferably formed from stainless' steel` or any' other metal which will'take a highly lustrous orfenamel'ednish. The an- A1,59 passed, 'whereupon the bead 'again assumes its nuls. 26 is'preferably` 'provided with an'V intermediate'fportion thatA presents an' axially o'utwardly convex' surface, Athe. radiallyrinner edge thereof being'lbent, axiallydnwa'rdly and radially outwardly aroundv the radially'inn'er margin 2lb ofthe cover' member ZI as shown at 2T. If desiredlthe radially outer edge of the vannulus 2.6 may be turned axially' vinwardly and radially inwardly baclrupon the intermediate body thereof as shown' at' 28 vto'present tofthe adjacent portion ci th'eouter surface of the' cover member 2I'a smooth, non-bitingabutment surface.

nlthe construction' showniin Figure, the cover member 29 is 'provided at the' radially inner margi'nfthereofwith a'reinforcing annulus identical to that described in lconjunction with the construction ot Figure 2. However the cover member' 29 differs from the cover member 2l principally in that it is provided with a radially inwardly,`, axially "outwardly, obliquely disposed protuberan'ce 33 adjacent the outer' peripheral ,edgeother'eo ,'This protubera'n'ce 3i! may be in the 'form of a circular'beadr` as rshowrnor may be in the'form of circularly disposed, .circumferentia-llyspaced humps, v f The protuberance 30 is arranged to receive an annular reinforcingmember;3l havingan axially outwardly exposed, ia'xially outwardly convexly coniigurated intermediatev portion v3'2. The annu- -lus 3i isfurther providedwith'a radially inner marginal ,portion turned axially inwardly and radially outwardly back upon itself as at 33 to provide a radially Youtwardly extending edge ar- .ranged lto engageaxially inwardly ofthe pro-v tuberance 30 and with an axially'inwardly, radiallyjin'wardly extending outer margin 34. It

'win bejnotedtnat the radial overall expanse of A of the axially inward pressure thecover 2 I will 'Hi theedgegportiongl of-theutire `rim,gi'lhereby to conceal the junction between the cover member 29 and the wheel structure.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the provision of the annulus 3| serves to completely conceal and ornament the junction between the cover member 29 and the edge portion I6 of the tire rim l0, and furthermore serves to reinforce the radially outer marginal portion of the cover and to protect the same against destruction by abutment with obstacles against which the vehicle is driven.

Preferably the annulus 3l is, like the annulus 26, formed from sheet metal so that it affords considerable rigidity and reinforcement to the associated cover member and furthermore so that a highly lustrous finish may be applied thereto to further augment the appearance of the entire wheel structure when it is applied thereto.

The application of the cover 29, shown in Figure 3, to the wheel structure is similar to that described in conjunction with the structure of Figure 2, in that the cover is disposed in concentric relationship over the outer side of the tire rim and the wheel structure and then urged axially inwardly by pressure which simultaneously exes the same into an axially outward-ly, concave position, whereby the radially outer edge snaps beneath the radially inwardly' turned lip portion I6a of the edge portion I 6, the cover then being retained on the wheel structure by the inherent tendency of the same to re-expand, thereby being retained on the wheel structure in a flexed condition.

It will be understood that while the cover shown herein as being applied to the edge portion of the tire rim, other shoulders and flanges of the wheel may be lutilized for receiving the cover thereto.

What I claim is:

l. In a wheel structure having a tire rim part and a central load bearing part, a cover assembly including a radially outer annular part formed from synthetic plastic material and having physical characteristics enabling it to be self-supporting and form retaining and yet resiliently flexible, said annular member having a radially outer circular edge arranged to be secured to a flange of a wheel part by application of pressure axially inwardly against the wheel whereby the cover `is urged into axially outwardly, concave crosssectional configuration with the radially -outer edge thereof being drawn axially inwardly of a Yflange of the wheel part, said cover being disposed over the outer side of the wheel structure and being retained thereon under a condition of stress by the pressure engagement of the radially outer edge portion thereof against a shoulder of said wheel part after the axial inward pressure has been removed therefrom, said annular cover part being provided at the radially outer portion thereof with a metallic reinforcing annulus secured thereto and having a radial expanse of such magnitude that it extends radially outwardly beyond the junction between the radially outer edge of the cover and the wheel part thereby to conceal the same.

2. In a wheel structure including a tire rim of the drop center type having a radially inwardly, axially outwardly forined edge portion and a central load bearing portion, a cover assembly including an annular cover member formed by synthetic plastic material and having physical characteristics enabling it to be self-supporting and form retaining and yet resiliently flexible, said cover member having a radially outer edge normally describing a circle greater than that described by the terminals of said edge portion of the tire rim and being arranged to be urged axially inwardly of the tire rim and flexed into an axially outwardly, concave configuration whereby the edge portion is drawn inwardly to snap axially inwardly of the terminal part of the edge portion of the tire rim so that said edge is urged radially outwardly by the inherent ilexibility of the cover member into retaining engagement with the edge portion of the tire rim and an annular member for concealing the junction between the tire rim and said annular cover member, said annular member having a portion retainingly engaged with the annular cover member and a portion extending radially outwardly over the junction between the annular cover member and the tire rim.

3. In a cover assembly for disposition over the outer side of a wheel structure having a tire rim provided with a radially inwardly extending lip on the edge portion thereof, a circular cover u formed from resilient sheet synthetic plastic material and having a radially outer edge arranged to be press-fitted behind said lip to retain the cover on the wheel under a condition of stress, and an ornamental bead for said cover, said bead having a radial inner portion engageable with the cover and a radial outer part extending radially outwardly beyond the edge of the cover and the edge portion of the rim to conceal the junction of the cover with the rim and to afford reinforcement and protection for the edge of the cover.

4. In a cover assembly for disposition over the outer side of a wheel structure having a tire rim provided with a radially inwardly extending lip on the edge portion thereof, a circular cover formed from resilient sheet synthetic plastic material and having a radially outer edge arranged 

